Part 3 (2/2)
Ian threw back his head and laughed. When Tucker looked at him as if he'd lost his senses, he smirked. ”You just made a big mistake.”
Meredith dropped the wood and walked toward the men. Tucker was giving her the sign. Her brother was going to make some kind of a deal, and he wanted her to hear the bargaining and give her opinion. She respected that about her brother: he included her in decisions and tried hard to be scrupulously fair to whomever he dealt with.
”Sis, I think we need to come to an agreement with Ian. He brought enough seed to sow a good-sized garden, and he has his mule and this plow.”
”A plow your brother helped construct.”
Meredith looked at the strange creation. ”That's, uh...quite a plow, Mr. Rafferty.”
An impish twinkle lit his blue eyes. ”You might say that.”
”I proposed that if Ian would plow your garden in addition to his own, I'd spend the morning felling trees for his cabin.”
”No, no.” Mr. Rafferty started tapping his foot. ”That's not right. I'll spend half the day clearing stones from the plot on my side. Yours is already clear.”
”But you have the seeds. Sis, he's got seeds for everything from beets to radishes.”
”Wonderful!” She brightened at that news. They'd had so little variation in their diet that even the smallest change thrilled her. ”I have beans and cabbage.”
”What kind of beans might they be?”
She smiled. ”Green pod beans and yellow wax beans.”
Tucker started pacing. ”That's nice, Sis. It's a nice start. But it's not much. He's got everything. Carrots. Turnips. Table beets and lettuce and potatoes-and that's just part of it.”
Watching her brother left her feeling slightly dizzy, so Meredith focused back on Mr. Rafferty. ”Carrots? Oh, they sound delicious! And beets-it'll be so nice just to have color on our plates instead of white and brown food. I do hope it doesn't sound as if I'm complaining. Well, maybe I am, a little. But G.o.d's provided for us. We've had enough to eat.”
”We'll plant plenty and store up sufficient for a long winter.”
Tucker turned back around and headed toward them. ”But your seeds and labor. Whatever is extra-”
”We'll sell or trade with our neighbors.”
”That's a wonderful plan, Mr. Rafferty.” Meredith started thinking of the things she'd put on the list of necessities. Maybe she could reduce some of the amounts if their garden grew bountifully.
”Your garden. Your plow.” Tucker stepped closer to their new neighbor. ”Your seeds. You-”
”I,” Mr. Rafferty interrupted, ”propose that we'll all labor and share equally in the yield.”
”But there are two of us,” Meredith pointed out. ”We'll eat more.”
”And unless I miss my guess, Miss Smith, you'll be far more efficient in making sure things are preserved.”
Tucker didn't stop pacing. He walked toward the riverbank and back, each time expounding on a concept or challenging Mr. Rafferty's a.s.sertions and offers.
Mr. Rafferty continued to interrupt him. Of course, he couldn't stand still. That would have made it far too simple. He'd stoop and heft a rock, then pitch or carry it off a ways. With one man moving up and down while the other paced from side to side, Meredith found herself leaning on the crazy makes.h.i.+ft plow so she wouldn't be so dizzy.
”Well?” Tucker finally stopped.
”Do you agree, Miss Smith?” Both men looked at her.
”Let me get this straight.” She shook her head to clear away the confusion. ”You'll both build a smokehouse, which is to be s.p.a.ced evenly between our homes. Since the fish are plentiful right now, you'll use the logs from the lean-to so the smokehouse will be ready tomorrow when Tucker returns from fis.h.i.+ng all day. While my brother fishes, Mr. Rafferty will plow a garden-a large garden which is now marked by the four boulders he's laid out.”
”Perhaps a wee bit larger,” Mr. Rafferty mused.
Before Tucker could charge into further negotiations, Meredith blurted out, ”Mr. Rafferty and I will sow the seeds, and we'll mind the garden. Because it's his plow and the lion's portion of the seeds is his, and he's doing half the labor, and there are two Smiths and only one Rafferty, I'll be in charge of preserving as much as possible for the cold months. Whatever excess produce might grow will be bartered or sold, with the proceeds being split evenly.”
Just summing it all up exhausted her. Meredith sucked in a deep breath.
”I'm thinking it all sounds good so far.” Mr. Rafferty nodded.
”I don't.” Tucker started pacing again. ”It's lopsided. We're taking advantage of you.”
Mr. Rafferty cast an exasperated look at Meredith. ”Explain the rest to your hardheaded brother. If anything, the deal's heavily weighted to my advantage. In fact, I think-”
”I think you both need to let me finish stating the agreement.” Tucker escalated the speed of his pacing, and if Mr. Rafferty went back to rock clearing, she wouldn't be responsible for her actions. ”Tucker, do stop wearing a path in the ground. I'm dizzy from watching you.”
”Are you feeling poorly, Miss Smith?” Mr. Rafferty solicitously cupped her elbow as if she were a feeble grandmother.
”I knew it. Uncle Darian's is where you belong. It's too harsh up here for you.” Tucker grabbed her other arm.
”Nonsense.” Fearing she'd soon be caught in a tug-of-war, she pulled away from both men. ”I'm stronger than that mule.”
”Maybe not as strong, but every bit as stubborn,” Tucker mumbled.
”You're a braver man than I, Tucker. If I ever said something like that about my sister, Fiona, I'd never hear the last of it.”
Meredith c.o.c.ked a brow and glared at the men, who now stood side by side. She cleared her throat.
”Sore throat? I've some medicaments-”
”Nah,” Tucker said, stopping Mr. Rafferty. ”She likely needs a sip of water. I'll fetch it.”
”So help me, if you so much as take one step away from here before we finish this deal and shake on it, I'll push you in that river, Tucker!” She shot Mr. Rafferty a look that dared him to say a single word.
The man had the audacity to grin at her like a simpleton.
”My brother will help you chop down trees and build your cabin-”
”The logs come off my property,” Mr. Rafferty inserted.
Tucker nodded agreement, so Meredith continued. ”In return for your a.s.sistance in putting a floor in our cabin-”
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